This Essential Guide to Clinical Management was produced as a resource for Medical Protection members in the UK. It is intended as general guidance only.

A patient alleges her GP was negligent for failing to prescribe antibiotics

Miss G was a 36-year-old medical receptionist who worked in a teaching hospital. She was under the care of a haematologist for chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, diagnosed when she was 13. She had a BMI of 42 and no other relevant past medical history.

Ms C, a 43-year-old smoker who was otherwise well, presented to her GP, Dr Q, complaining of a few days’ discoloration to the tip of her right index finger. She explained that her fingers had always felt cold and often turned white and went numb when she was outside.

Mr A was a 25-year-old man who was on lifelong steroid medication for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. He was under the care of Dr F, a consultant endocrinologist.

JS, a four-month-old baby, was felt by his mother to be developing a cold and was given oral paracetamol solution, which was effective. The following day his mother noted he was warm and snuffly.

Mr B was a 31-year-old man with three children. His mother was staying with him over the weekend because he was in bed coughing and shivering.

Baby LM was taken to see his GP, Dr E, for his six-week check. During this examination Dr E noted that his left testis was in the scrotum but his right testis was palpable in the canal. He asked LM’s mother to bring him back for review in a month.

Following a hospital admission for status epilepticus, which was attributed to a previous cerebral insult, Mr G, a 35-year-old clerical officer, was started on an anticonvulsant regime of phenytoin and sodium valproate.

Mrs L, a teacher, was first prescribed the oral contraceptive pill microgynon by her GP, Dr G, when she was 17. Her blood pressure was taken and recorded as normal. At this time, no other mention was made in the records of her risk profile or family history.